Medical Psychological Assessment

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The Medical Psychological Assessment (MPA) works for a prognosis of the fitness for drive in future.

Contents 1 History 2 Alcoholized drivers 3 Other offences 4 Measures 5 Effectiveness 6 References

[edit] History

It was established in 1955. The purpose was to improve traffic safety and reduce the amount of accidents by identifying unfit dangerous drivers, and remove them from traffic until fitness to drive has been restored.

The MPA has an interdisciplinary basic approach. Although it's being considered as a kind of punishment by many offenders, it offers them the chance of individual rehabilitation.^[1] Nowadays German medical-psychological institutes run about 100,000 MPAs a year. Many of their clients have to run the MPA twice because more than 50% fail at the first try to get a positive opinion.

[edit] Alcoholized drivers

The prerequisites for operating motor vehicle are only met once the alcohol consumption has changed appropriately. The change in alcohol consumption behaviour must have been stabilised and motivationally consolidated. Passing the MPA is not easy: Alcoholized drivers with a blood alcohol level of 0.2% and more have to prove that they have been living teetotal for at least one year. This can be proven on the basis of values of the drink-drivers liver.

[edit] Other offences

The MPA is not only being disposed when the offender operated a motor-vehicle under influence of alcohol and/or drugs. A lot of probands have to bring the driver's license administration a positive MPA opinion when they rode a bike under influense or regularly do drugs. If they cannot show a positive opinion within some weeks they lose their driver's licence although they did not operate a motor-vehicle. Also many alcoholics lost their licenses that way although they weren't caught while drink-driving.

[edit] Measures

If possible, the MPA gives a clear recommendation to the offender to attend a specific course to re-establish his fitness to drive.^[2] These courses are well adapted to the specific problems of the offenders: Alcohol, drugs or other violations of traffic security.

[edit] Effectiveness

The effectiveness of the MPA has been proven: The rate of relapse could be decreased up to 6.5% and the incentive for behavioural change set through the MPA works in a sustained manner.^[3]

[edit] References